s the equilibrium between heaven and hell. Those
who are in the world of spirits are in that equilibrium, for the
world of spirits is midway between heaven and hell. From the same
source all men in the world are kept in a like equilibrium, since men
in the world are ruled by the Lord by means of spirits in the world
of spirits, as will be shown hereafter in its own chapter. No such
equilibrium would be possible unless the Lord ruled both heaven and
hell and regulated both sides. Otherwise falsities from evil would
preponderate, and would affect the simple good who are in the
outmosts regions of heaven, and who can be more easily perverted than
the angels themselves; and thereby equilibrium would perish, and with
it freedom in men.

541. Hell, like heaven, is divided into societies, and into as many
societies as there are in heaven; for every society in heaven has a
society opposite to it in hell, and this for the sake of equilibrium.
But evils and falsities therefrom are what distinguish the societies
in hell, as goods and truths therefrom are what distinguish the
societies in heaven. That for every good there is an opposite evil,
and for every truth an opposite falsity may be known from this, that
nothing can exist without relation to its opposite, and what anything
is in kind and degree can be known from its opposite, and from this
all perception and sensation is derived. For this reason the Lord
continually provides that every society in heaven shall have an
opposite in some society of hell, and that there shall be an
equilibrium between the two.

542. As hell is divided into the same number of societies as heaven,
there are as many hells as there are societies of heaven; for as each
society of heaven is a heaven in smaller form (see above, n. 51-58),
so each society in hell is a hell in smaller form. As in general
there are three heavens, so in general there are three hells, a
lowest, which is opposite to the inmost or third heaven, a middle,
which is opposite to the middle or second heaven, and a higher, which
is opposite to the outmost or first heaven.

543. How the hells are ruled by the Lord shall be briefly explained.
In general the hells are ruled by a general outflow from the heavens
of Divine good and Divine truth whereby the general endeavor flowing
forth from the hells is checked and restrained; also by a particular
outflow from each heaven and from each society of heaven. The hells
are ruled in